We thank High Commissioner Michele Bachelet for her report. The High Commissioner has rightly drawn our attention to the human rights violations due to statelessness, incitement to violence/hate speech, religious intolerance, inequalities, lack of social safety nets and impunity. This Council must adopt an even-handed and objective approach to mitigate these trends.

Last year, the High Commissioner’s report on human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir helped focus international attention to the plight of Kashmiris living under brutal Indian occupation.

Since the release of this report, sufferings of Kashmiris living in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOK) have only worsened. Kashmiris continue to be killed, raped, blinded and injured by the Indian forces using excessive force and enjoying complete impunity under draconian laws of AFSPA (Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958) and PSA (Public Safety Act, 1978).Human Rights defenders, in IOK or in Indiaare stillsubjected to violence and reprisals by the government. India continues to disregard its own operational and policy failures that have alienated Kashmiri people. It continues to externalize the problem, finding scapegoats in a useless blame game.

In the wake of dire human rights situation in IOK, OHCHR must continue its reporting process on Kashmir. We urge the High Commissioner to present the 2019 report on human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir, as per her mandate established in UNGA resolution 48/141 and in line with the internationally disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir recognized by over a dozen UN Security Council resolutions.

Mr. President,

The UN has a key role to play in the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. The UN Security Council is seized of its numerous resolutions as the dispute remains on its agenda. We also expect that this Council would call upon India to end its persistent, systematic and gross human rights violations, and settle the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of Kashmiri people ascertained through a UN administered plebiscite mandated by relevant Security Council resolutions.